1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for making cheese. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for molding and chilling the cheese so as to enable automated delivery of a desired sized piece of cheese, at a desired temperature.
2. State of the Art
The making of cheese is generally a labor intensive process that requires large quantities of milk, and substantial man hours to develop any of the many popular varieties. In order to make cheese, a large volume of milk is typically processed to remove the cream. The skimmed milk is then pasteurized and forwarded to a large vat. The milk in the vat is then heated and a bacterial culture is added to the heated milk to cause acid production. A setting or curdling agent, such as rennet, is also mixed in to cause the milk product to set. Depending on what type of cheese is being made, a coloring agent may also be added to the mixture.
After the milk sets sufficiently, the jelly like mass is cut into ribbons or small cubes. The cutting allows the cheese curds to separate from the liquid whey. The solids fall to the bottom and the whey is drawn off.
The cheese curds may be further processed to remove excess whey if necessary. The cheese is then allowed to reach the correct level of acidity and is salted.
To form the cheese into the form typically seen by consumers, the ribbons or cubes of cheese curds are then dispensed into large metal containers or hoops. Typically each hoop will hold approximately 40 pounds of cheese. Up to this point, the cheese curds remain warm and soft.
Once the hoop has been filled, it is lifted into a press which holds the contents of the hoop under pressure. The press is then moved into a large refrigeration unit. As the cheese curds are cooled under pressure, they form a forty pound block of cheese. Typically, the cheese curds will be cooled and left under pressure in the hoop overnight. The following day, the forty pound block of cheese is withdrawn from the hoop and cut into five pound blocks. Depending on the type of cheese being made, the five pound blocks may either be cured/aged for an extended period of time, or may be forwarded for further processing.
The process discussed above is very labor intensive, as each hoop filled with forty pounds of cheese is typically placed in the press by hand. Such a system raises several concerns. For example, there are a large number of injuries, as the combination of heavy containers of cheese and a floor having butter fat spilled thereon leads to numerous accidents. While there have been numerous attempts to automate the process, these attempts have generally met with less than satisfactory results.
In addition to the problems discussed above which relate to most types of cheese, the making of mozzarella cheese raises additional concerns. Specifically, the mozzarella cheese must typically be cooled before placement in the hoops to ensure that it will set properly and not cling to the hoops. Before being placed in the hoops, the soft mozzarella cheese curds are passed through a brine solution bath. The brine solution cools the outer layer of the cheese sufficiently that it can be packed in the hoops and pressed in the conventional manner.
Unfortunately, large amounts of brine are used and the brine solution must be frequently disposed of to ensure sanitary conditions. The large amount of brine raises serious environmental concerns. First, the brine solution itself is a potential contaminant and improper disposal can lead to contaminated groundwater supplies. Second, the brine solution contains high levels of nonvolatile solids, and must be treated with caustic and acidic materials to try to neutralize the solution prior to dumping.
Even after the brine solution has been treated, special care must be exercised to ensure that the solution is disposed of properly. While in the past the solution has merely been dumped, new environmental laws prohibit such disposal, and mozzarella producers are often fined or otherwise charged when the pH is unacceptable or the nonvolatile solid content is too high.
Currently, the environmentally ideal way to dispose of the brine solution is to dry the solution to achieve a powder-like substance. The substance, however, must still be disposed of, as it is not food grade due to the contaminants from the cheese. Thus, it must be buried in a land fill or otherwise disposed of so as not to contaminate ground water supplies.
Thus, there is a significant need for an apparatus and method for continuous molding, chilling and cutting of cheese. Such a system should be easy to use and should lessen the environmental harms typically involved with making cheese. Such a system should also decrease the costs to producers and lessen the risks to workers associated with making cheese.